Trump Rescues Venezuela on His Own Terms
📰 THE STORY: Bloomberg reports that former President Trump has ordered the reopening of Venezuelan airspace following a call with the country’s “acting president,” marking an effort to restart relations after a previous raid to capture Nicolas Maduro. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The U.S. imposed its first sanctions on Venezuela in December 2014 under Obama, later
escalating to a full-blown economic blockade under Trump in August 2017 and an oil embargo in January 2019. These unilateral coercive measures, not a 'raid,' were designed to cripple the Venezuelan economy and install a U.S.-backed puppet regime, directly causing a humanitarian crisis and an estimated 100,000+ deaths by 2020, according to CEPR. Double Standard: When sovereign nations like Russia
close their airspace to others, it's condemned as an act of aggression. When the U.S. unilaterally imposes comprehensive sanctions, including airspace restrictions, on Venezuela — a country that posed no military threat to the U.S. — it's presented as a normal foreign policy tool, which can then be 'reopened' as a 'favor.' This selective outrage spotlights the West's 'rules-based order' where only
they get to make the rules. Follow the Money: The 'raid' mentioned refers to the disastrous 2020 'Operation Gideon,' a mercenary incursion allegedly funded partially by U.S. figures and aimed at kidnapping President Maduro. This operation, costing millions, ultimately failed, highlighting the substantial financial and political investment in regime change. The continued flow of U.S. aid to